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METHOD 0E. AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING CASKS;

(No Model.)

yPatented May I6, |899. J. STHP. MACARDLE.

` (Application led Har. 6, 1897.)

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. the interior of the cask or casks to the action Nrrnn STATES PATnnVrv Orricn.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING CASKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,045, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed March 6, 1897.

To all wwnt it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ST. PATRICK MACARDLE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Dundalk, in the county of Louth, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Cleansing and Sterilizing Casks, Bottles, or other Receptacles, (for which I have obtained aV pat-ent in Great Britain, No. 4,996, bearing date March 25, 1890,) of which the following is a specification.

According to this invention one or several casks or other receptacles may be thoroughly cleansed at the same time by Iirst subjecting of a jet or jets of steam or other vapor or gas which may or may not be combined with softening, disinfectin g, or other materials or matter in vapor form or otherwise. Under ordinary circumstances I employ steam ata comparativelylow pressure, which has the effect of softening the solid or organic matters inside of the casks or other vessels. When this action has continued for a sufficient length of time, water or other cleansing agent is then admitted. The temperature of the Water may conveniently be from about 212o Fahrenheit or upward. It is also evident that other liquids may sometimes be advantageously substituted for the water, and I complete the process by admittinghigh-pressure steam for the purpose of removing all the water and assisting in drying the interior of the casks or other vessels.. The casks,\vhen cleansed, may be stacked and allowed to cool or may be immediately cooled by cold air delivered by a fan or other suitable apparatus and conveyed into the casks by pipes and connections.

As applied for cleansing casks a convenient form of apparatus to be employed for the purpose may be constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is a sectional elevation.

A closed vessel, charger, or container A is arranged and mounted in any suitable position and is provided with water-gage B, safetyvalve S, and pressure-gage C. The admission of steam or gas is effected by the pipe D for steam or gas under pressure, while the Serial N0.626,298. (No model.)

pipe M serves to uadmit the water or liquid. The admission of water at any temperature to the charger A is effected by the pipe M through the three-way cock E to the requisite quantity as indicated by the water-gage B. Steam at a high pressure is then admitted to the charger lA by the steam-pipe D through the three-way cock E and the perforated pipe O, raising the water in the charger A to any required temperature-say 212 Fahrenheit or upward-a relief-cock'N for the discharge of air from the charger being provided, as shown. In order to save time while the water is being admitted and heated in the charger A, steam at a reduced pressure is passed through a reducing-valve F by a pipe G through a three-way cock I-I into the vessel or pipe K and by nozzles L into the casks. i

In the drawing one cask onlyis indicated by dotted lines; but it will readily be understood that the pipe K being extended any number of nozzles L may be provided thereon.

The casks rest on a suitable floor or framing, (referred to by the letterQ.) The admission of low-pressure steam into the casks in the first instance effects the softening of solid or organic matters which are present inside of the casks.

When the water in the charger'A has been sufficiently heated and brought to a suitable pressure as shownby the steam-gage C, it is discharged by the three-way cock H into the pipe K and thence through the perforated nozzles L into the casks in the form of a spray of boiling water and steam. All the water having been discharged this mixed spray is is evident that two or more may be employed in conjunction with one charger, the capacity of the latter being regulated by the number of casks required to be treated at one and the same time. It is also under certain circum- IOO stances convenient to arrange cocks or valves so as to shut off certain of the nozzles or parts of the pipe or vessel K.

The casks when cleansed may be stacked and allowed to cool or may be immediately cooled by means of cold airdelivered by a fan T or other means and conveyed into the casks by pipes and nozzles similar to the pipe K and nozzles L shown on the drawing, or,if convenient, the fan may be connected direct to the pipe K of the apparatus, as shown. When a number of pipes K are used, which willbe the case in practice, said pipes will be connected to a cross-pipe K common to all the pipes K, each of which will be provided with a suitable stop-cock at a point between the j et-nozzle L and its connection with said crosspipe.

The preadmission of low-pressure steam in the first instance to the interior of the casks serves to soften solid or organic matters present in the casks, the pressure used being such as shall not injure the' material composing the casks or vessels under treatment. The admission of boiling water and steam at a high pressure in a combined spray thoroughly destroys all microbe life or organic matter, removing same and searching and scouring every portion ot' the interior of the casks or Vessels. The high-pressure steam being then admitted for a limited period forces out any water present and aids in drying the casks or the like. By means of this process one man can treat and cleanse a large number of casks and in an efficient manner, while the apparatus itself is economical as regards the consumption of Water and steam, as cold water can be supplied to the charger in such quantities as may be required and heated by steam, thereby dispensing with a hot-water tank or the draining of the water-supply from the main boilers of the brewery or other establish ment Where apparatus of this kind is used.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The method of cleansing and sterilizing casks and other vessels, which consists in subjecting the interior surfaces thereof first to the action of low-pressure steam, then to the simultaneous action of boiling Water and highpressure steam, then to the action of highpressure steam only, and finally to the action of air, for the purpose set forth.

2. Apparatus for cleansing and sterilizing casks comprising a heater, valved pipes for admitting steam or a cleansing liquid or both to said heater, an injector-pipe connected with the heater near its bottom and with the steam-supply pipe, a valve at the point of junction between the in j ector-pipe,the steampipe and the pipe leading to the heater, and a pressure-reducing valve in the connection with the steam-pipe, for the purpose set forth.

3. Apparatus for cleansing and sterilizing casks, comprising a heater, a perforated pipe extending into the same, steam and cleansingliquid supply pipes connected with said perforated pipe, and a three-way valve at the point of junction of said pipes; in combination with an injector-pipe connected with the heater near its bottom and with the aforesaid steam-supply pipe a Valve at the point of junction of the in jector-pipe with said heater and steam-pipe, and means for supplying air to the injector-pipe, for the purpose set forth.

JOHN ST. PATRICK MACARDLE.

Witnesses:

PETER HUGHES, THOMAS W. PRINCE. 

